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Question is : Why are Hindu gods interested in India alone?So are you talking about the modern republic of India? or what?The undivided India before 1947 consists of India , Pakistan , Bangladesh , and many countries.Kadaram (the ancient Kedah Kingdom), or Kataha Nagara or also called Bhujanga (Bujang Valley) was one of the important ancient Hindu Kingdoms of South Asia. Kadaram was situated in region of southern Thailand, and northern peninsular Malaysia. It is presently known as Kedah. Being situated in a strategic place which commanded the northern approaches of the Straits of Malacca, it became a center of power and economy. It had very close connections with many countries of the ancient world. Trade connections between western Indonesia and Southern India seem to have been close during the reign of the Pallavas, from the 4th to 9th centuries CE. These relations helped spread Hindu culture and religion to the Malays, and also lead to the emergence of Hindu Kingdoms like Kadaram (Old Kedah), Langkasuka, Funan, and Champa.The word "Bujang" in a modern Malay Language means bachelor but the proper spelling is actually in Sanskrit, "Bhujanga" or dragon. Add the prefix 'Lembah', which means valley, and you get Dragon Valley.Vinayaka statue found in the site of ancient Kadaram.The site covers an area of 224 square kilometres. When you make your way around the cluster of temple ruins, you will note the dominant influences of Hinduism and Buddhism. Researchers have concluded the ruins and artefacts found here dating back to the 5th century AD. Both civilisations practised trade relations with old empires of India, Cambodia and Srivijaya. It was even visited by the Chinese monk I-Tsing in 671 AD.It is the richest archaeological area in Malaysia. Archaeological research indicates that an ancient Hindu Kingdom ruled here as early as 300 AD. Relics of the kingdom found at the site and now on display at the Archaeological Museum include inscribed stone caskets and tablets, metal tools and ornaments, ceramics, pottery, and Hindu icons. More than fifty ancient tomb temples, called candi, have also been unearthed, many of which were built during the Bujang Valley civilization's heyday.What remains now to be seen are some remnants of this ancient society which includes temples, tablets and drainage channels which have been found across more than 300 sq km surrounding the "Gunung Jerai" (means Mount Jerai) which happens to be the highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia located at the northern region.Archaeological ExcavationThere are ruins, including temples (Chandi), that may date more than 1,500 years old in Kadaram.If we were to look for proof of the existence of the earliest Malay kingdoms on the peninsula, it is inevitably Kedah that has yielded the most ancient archaeological evidence so far discovered.Since the first excavation in 1936 by British archaeologists, H.G Quatrich Wales over 50 archaeological sites have been discovered. This gives evidence to the daily living of people long ago. The temple grounds are sacred where few of the temples have been restored while others are left as it is and is still undergoing research.The two most prominent sites containing 600-year old candis were unearthed in 1997. Most prominent is the 1,000-year-old Candi Bukit Batu Pahat (Temple of the Hill of the Chiselled Stone) believed to be built in the 17th Century on the summit of a small hill. These sites of temple ruin stretch all the way from Gunung Jerai to Kuala Muda in the south.Throughout the course of the excavation, archaeologists have found various artifacts such as pottery, jewellery, stone pillars, stone carvings and statues. These findings are displayed at the Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum nearby.In the mid-nineteenth century, Captain James Low found:“undoubted relics of a Hindoo colony, with ruins of temples …’ and ‘… mutilated images. ..’ extending ‘along the talus of the Kedda mountain Jerrei.’Among his later finds were fragments of a Sanskrit inscription of the fourth century A.D. written in the oldest Pallava alphabet as well as a slab found in the estuary of the Muda River bearing a Sanskrit prayer in fifth-century Pallava script for the success of a voyage about to be undertaken by a sailing-master (mahdndvika), indicating the estuary was a home port for Indian traders during the fifth century A.D. Later excavations in the valley of the Bujang River (an tributary of the Merbok River further north) uncovered various sanctuaries, palace halls of audience, temples, stapas, forts, as well as a number of other unidentified buildings. The shrines in the Bujang Valley were later abandoned in favour of sites nearer the Merbok estuary.Indian ships found a sheltered anchorage and probably a small community of indigenous folk practicing subsistence cultivation and fishing. No doubt these folk had diversified their simple economy by casual trading with Indian merchants entering the Straits of Malacca. Their settlement, at first a mere village, had grew to become the collecting point for the forest products of the surrounding hinterland, aided also by its strategic location at the western end of a trans-peninsular route to the east.Head of Nandi found in the vicinity of Kedaram.One of the six stone boxes, which were found buried beneath Candi Bukit Batu Pahat.Metal-smelting WorkshopThe archaeologists found a metal-smelting workshop replete with a network of furnace nozzles which was unearthed in an oil palm plantation in "Sungai Batu" (means Stone River). The system of metallurgy found here similarly resembles the techniques used in ancient India. There were also like ceramics, pots, bracelets and beads. "This is the first time that an advanced metal industry from such a period has been confirmed to have existed in this region", says Associate Prof Dr. Mokhtar Saidin from the Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) from the USM. He points out that they are gradually uncovering the remaining mounds which requires a lot of patience.Early ReferencesFigure of a dancer carved in high relief found at Batu Lintang, south of Kedah.There are also a great deal of references in ancient and medieval Indian literature to locations which have been identified as Kedah. One of the earliest presumed references to Kedah (called, at varying times, Kadaram or Kataha) is contained in the Tamil poem Pattinappilai, was written at the end of the second century A.D. It described goods from Kadaram “heaped together in the broad streets” of the Chola capital.Vimana Mandapa.The seventh century Sanskrit drama Kaumudimahotsava called Kedah Kataha-nagara and described it as a country famed for its social attractions and gay life. The Agnipurina also mentions a territory known as Anda-Kataha, with one of its bounds delimited by a peak, which scholars have assumed to be Gunung Jerai. There are two further references to Kataha in a Prikrit work, the Samaraiccakaha written about the middle of the eighth century, relating voyages to Kataha-dvipa. Stories from the Kathasaritsagara described the elegance of life in Kataha, calling it ‘the seat of all felicities’.After a period of independence, Kedah then attained its height of greatness as the seat of power for the Sri Vijaya empire on the peninsula. It was clearly the chief power on the peninsula and in many ways surpassed Palembang in terms of trade and its strategic links with India and the rest of the region. Its fortunes, however, began to wane after the great raid by Rajendra Chola on the Sri Vijaya empire in 1025 A.D. Kedah was a primary military objective and despite what the Cholas described as the “fierce strength” of the defenders, it fell to the raiders, its king losing “large heap of treasures” to the new conquerors. Kedah later tried to assert its independence from the Sri Vijaya empire and another Chola King Vira Rajendra raided Kedah in 1068 A.D. to aid its king.But the great city-state sinks into obscurity after that. The Kingdom of Ligor takes over the mantle of power from Sri Vijaya on the peninsula and its king Candrabhanu uses Kedah as a base for attacks on Sri Lanka. The Thais were to later subjugate this kingdom, leading to Thai domination of much of the northern peninsula in the centuries to come.LangkasukaThe most detailed description of the early Malay kingdom of Langkasuka is found in the Liang-shu, a Chinese history written in the early seventh century. Referred to as Lang-ya-hsiu, Langkasuka’s frontiers were described as thirty days’ journey from east to west, and twenty from north to south. Its capital was said to be surrounded by walls to form a city with double gates, towers and pavilions.“When the king goes forth he rides upon an elephant. He is accompanied by banners, fly-whisks, flags and drums and he is shaded with a white parasol. The soldiers of his guard are well-appointed. The inhabitants of the country say that their state was founded more than four hundred years ago. Subsequently the descendants became weaker, but in the king’s household there was a man of virtue to whom the populace turned. When the king heard of this he imprisoned this man, but his chains snapped unaccountably. The king took him for a supernatural being and, not daring to injure him, exiled him from the country, where upon he fled to India. The king of India gave him his eldest daughter in marriage. Not long afterwards, when the king of died, the chief ministers welcomed back the exile and made him king.”This account, and that of other Chinese histories, describe a kingdom that began in the second century A.D., located somewhere along the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The most important piece of evidence as to its location is provided by the Wu-pei-chih, which firmly places a Lang-hsi-chia to the south of Songkla (Singora), up to the Patani River.Early Malay literature, however, is quite explicit in indicating a location on the west coast. From the Hikayat Marong Mahawangsa (a king who is said to have sailed from India) we can extract the following relevant passages:Then King Marong Maha-Wangsa asked an old wise man in his ship, who answered, ‘That large island, almost touching the mainland, is Pulau Seri, the small one is Pulau Jambul, and further landwards from there is Pulau Lada, my lord’. Then King Marong Mahawangsa said, ‘Let us land at the cape of that island’.King Marong Mahawangsa came upon good land, very beautifully situated. He did not return to his ships, so eager was he to build a fort and a hall, very large and beautiful. When the palace hall was completed, he called it Langkasuka. The city, grew more and more populous from month to month and from year to year … One day King Marong Mahawangsa was granting audience to great numbers of ministers, courtiers, commanders, chamberlains, pages and officials, who were all crowded into his palace hall Langkasuka… Then King Marong Mahawangsa said to the Roman envoys, ‘I have installed my son as King. Now we should give our country a name’ … ‘We shall name this our country Kedah Zamin Duran’ … King Marong Mahawangsa saw how Pulau Lada had joined the mainland, finally being called Bukit Lada, just as Pulau Jambul was finally called Bukit Jambul. Pulau Seri was almost joined to the mainland and was eventually called Gunong Jerai on account of its height.’Thereupon King Marong Mahapodisat [son of Mahawangsa] made his son mount the elephant Gemala Johari … The elephant raised its head and set off towards the rising sun, accompanied by the ministers, commanders and soldiers. They entered a vast forest; later a plain came into sight. The King, on the elephant Gemala Johari, crossed several hills and mountains. After some time, when they had almost reached the sea, they came upon a great river flowing into the sea. On that plain the elephant Gemala Johari stopped.The princess-consort said, ‘Go back to Kedah, to my royal father, and tell him that this is the country called Patani’ … Now King Sari Mahawangsa did not wish to stay at Langkasuka as it was very far from the sea. So he ordered his four ministers to gather lime and mussel-shells with which to build a fortress downstream, for the river was big and wide, broadening out and with a very swift current. The ministers carried out the royal command. King Sari Mahawangsa unceasingly visited the downstream area where the moated fortress was to be built. Upstream in that area he built a small palace called Sirukum.”It is clear from these passages that Langkasuka has passed into Malay folklore as a west-coast kingdom, the predecessor of modern Kedah, with its capital at the foot of Gunong Jerai. The evident association of its rulers with Patani “beyond the forests and hills” may suggest a kingdom that spanned the peninsular to the east coast, where most of the Chinese accounts place Langkasuka. It is evident that the fortunes of Langkasuka ebbed and flowed with that of its larger neighbours. It seems to have entered a decline when it was conquered by the Funan Empire of Cambodia between the third and sixth century. It then experienced a resurgence after the fall of Funan, only to succumb to the Sri Vijaya Empire some time in ninth century.Indian and Javanese texts also suggest a western kingdom. Ilangasoka is named as one of Rajendra Chola’s conquests in his expedition against the Srivijaya Empire, described as a kingdom that that was “undaunted in fierce battles”. The Majapahit epic of 1365, the Nagarakartagama, described Lengkasuka as a west coast state subject to the overlordship of Majaphit (though it is more likely that, at the time, Langkasuka was part of the territory of Majaphit’s arch-enemy Sri Vijaya). Langkasuka then mysteriously disappears from written history – leaving only a legendary name to peasant mythology. The spirit land of Lakawn Suka still features in the mythology of Patani Malays, while Kedah peasant folklore interpret the realm of Alang-kah-suka as the domain of the fairy princess Puteri Sadong, ‘who rules over the Little People and wild goats of the limestone hills, and persistently refuses all suitors, be they never so highborn or otherwise eligible”.Finally, when it had been erased from the map of the peninsula after some many centuries, the name ‘Langkasuka’ again appeared in our history when it was mooted by our founding fathers as a possible name for independent Malaya.Ramakien - from the Ramayana to the National Epic of ThailandRamakian (Ramayana in India) is the tale of the God Vishnu who incarnated as Rama to punish the Yaksa Totsagan. This is the story of Phra Ram and his Consort Sita (Naang Siidaa). Ramakian is one of the foundations of Buddhist Literature in Thailand, and is taught in every Primary school.The Ramayana, came to Southeast Asia by means of Indian traders and scholars who traded with the kingdoms of Khmer (such as Funan and Angkor) and Java (Srivijaya), with whom the Indians shared close economic and cultural ties.RamaThe spread and popularity of Ramayana over the centuries may be seen in the number of variations of the story in the region. By the Dhonburi period of Thai history, the Thai version of the Ramayana (The Story of Rama) had been renamed Ramakien (The Glory of Rama) while the same story became known as Ram-Lak in the Lao version. Although older versions of Ramakien are extant, such as a book dated to the Dhonburi period, the most complete version of the Ramakien is the "Rama I version", an epic poem composed by King Rama I in the 18th century.In the late first millennium, the epic was adopted by the Thai people, who had migrated to Southeast Asia from southern China. The oldest recordings of the early Sukhothai kingdom, dating from the thirteenth century, include stories from the Ramayana legends. The history of the legends was told in the shade theater (Thai: หนัง, Nang), a shadow-puppet show in a style adopted from Indonesia, in which the characters were portrayed by leather dolls manipulated to cast shadows on a nearby screen while the spectators watched from the other side.The Thai version of the legends were first written down in eighteenth century, during the Ayutthaya kingdom, following the demise of the Sukhothai government. Most editions, however, were lost when the city of Ayutthaya was destroyed by armies from Burma (modern Myanmar) in the year 1767.RamakianThe version recognized today was compiled in the kingdom of Siam under the supervision of King Rama I (1736-1809), the founder of the Chakri dynasty, which still maintains the throne of Thailand. Between the years of 1797 and 1807, Rama I supervised the writing of the well-known edition and even wrote parts of it. It was also under the reign of Rama I that construction began on the Thai Grand Palace in Bangkok, which includes the grounds of the Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The walls of the Wat Phra Kaew are lavishly decorated with paintings representing stories from the Ramakien.Rama II (1766-1824) further adapted his father's edition of the Ramakien for the khon drama, a form of theater performed by non-speaking Thai dancers with elaborate costumes and masks. Narrations from the Ramakien were read by a chorus to one side of the stage. This version differ slightly from the one compiled by Rama I, giving an expanded role to Hanuman, the god-king of the apes, and adding a happy ending.Since its introduction to the Thai people, the Ramakien has become a firm component of the culture. Though many consider it only an adaptation of a strange work from an archaic system of beliefs, it is firmly embedded in the cultural history of the country and the people. The Ramakien of Rama I is considered one of the masterpieces of the Thai literature. It is still read, and is taught in the country's schools.Source: Encyclopedia II - Ramakien - From the Ramayana to the National Epic of ThailandThe Birth of the Cosmos at Angkor WatThe east-facing temple wall at Angkor Wat portrays the Hindu creation story known as the "Churning of the Sea of Milk." These panels are best seen around the time of sunrise. Former University of Michigan professor Eleanor Mannikka has discovered that the sun interacts with several of the panel's images on important dates of the annual solar cycle. The entire scene contains a total of 183 figures that collectively represent the number of days between the Winter and Summer solstices that take place each year during the months of December and June, respectively.Angkor WatAt the pivot point of this magnificent relief is the figure of the Hindu solar deity Vishnu (right), who occupies the one position in the panel that is directly illuminated by the rising sun on the day of the vernal equinox each March. In addition to the relief, the temple of Angkor Wat features solar alignments in which the Sun appears to rise out of its central tower on the day of the vernal equinox each March from at observation point located at the western end of the long causeway that leads up to the temple gates.Set at the beginning of the Golden Age, the Churning of the Sea of Milk explains how the forces of light (devas) and darkness (asuras) once worked together to generate the elixir of immortality that the Hindu scriptures call the amrita. At the beginning of the world, the devas fought bitterly with the asuras for a thousand years.Churning of the Sea of MilkEach side was separately attempting to generate the elixer called the amrita, which would render immortal anyone who drank it. Unable to generate the amrita, both sides asked Lord Vishnu for assistance. After explaining to the celestials that they would have to work together in order to generate the amrita, Vishnu organized the forces of light and darkness into two groups. At Angkor Wat, the asuras are arrayed on the left. They are led by their captain Bali, who holds the head of the serpent king that served as the churning rope.Angkor Wat full viewTo the right are arrayed the forces of light, led by the monkey king Sugriva who can be seen holding onto the serpent king's tail. At the center of the entire operation is Vishnu, who guides the churning operation from his commanding position on the pivotal mountain of Mandara, around which the serpent king has wrapped his body. To keep the Mandara from sinking into the Sea of Milk, the king of the tortoises acts as the mountain's support. After two thousand more years come to pass, the churning operation finally succeeds, generating not only the much coveted elixir of immortality, but also the sun, the moon, and the celestial nymphs called the apsaras. They rise like stars and hover over the Milk Ocean, which symbolizes the Milky Way galaxy.Like the revolution of the sun, moon, planets, and stars that eternally revolve about the dome of the firmament, the visitor to Angkor is part of a cycle that must periodically return to the beginning. Having assimilated Angkor's cosmic perspective, the visitor walks back through the temple proper, down the long western causeway and steps back into the world of the present.The Srivijaya EmpireSrivijaya is an ancient kingdom on the island of Sumatra. Known to be existed around 1400, it was found by Dapunta Hyang Çri Yacanaca. Buddhism was then spread, and records describe the Srivijayan capital Palembang as a center of Buddhist learning. The time the Buddhist monk, I-Ching, came to Srivijaya, he recommended it as a centre of Buddhist learning. He spent the whole of six months learning Sanskrit there. At the time the growing trade and shipping between India and China, controlled by Srivijaya, had attracted the rivalry of both East Java and the Cholas of south India. So later in 1025, the Cholas attacked Srivijaya, captured its king, and devastated the country.Srivijaya Empire MapThe Indian influence over South-East Asia expanded a lot during the time of Pallavas between the fifth and seventh centuries and the influence was mainly seen in Cambodia. In Srivijaya, a maritime power and dynasty which controlled the empire (stretching from Sumatra to Malaya, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam) arose from obscurity in the 8th century. Srivijaya was an Indianised polity, more Buddhist than Brahminical with its capital near Palembang in South Eastern Sumatra.Rival to the Srivijaya dynasty was the joint kingdoms of Sailendra and Sanjaya based in central Java. It was during their time (after 780 CE) that the temple building activity flourished in the island. These temples were based on the layout and elevation of the Pallavan and Chalukyan temples. An exception to this style of construction is the colossal temple at Borobudur, which apparently started as a Hindu temple and was converted to a Buddhist place of worship.One of the largest Hindu temples in the region is Prambanan, located in central Java. This temple, which was built around 850 CE during the time of the Sanjaya dynasty is dedicated to the Trimurtis. There are about 200 temples in this complex and the bas-relief of the temple depicts the story of Ramayana. Parts of this temple was damaged in the recent earthquake that hit Indonesia.The longest axis of the island runs approximately northwest - southeast, crossing the equator near the center. The interior of the island is dominated by two geographical regions: the Barisan Mountains in the west and swampy plains in the east.to the southeast is Java, separated by the Sunda Strait. To the north is the Malay Peninsula, separated by the Straits of Malacca. To the east is Borneo, across the Karimata Strait. West of the island is the Indian Ocean.The Hikayat Seri RamaThe Ramayana helped to mold concepts of state and kingship in Malaysia. The epic probably reached Malaysia by way of Javanese traders who brought their shadow play, Wayang Kulit. Many changes developed in the Malay version Ramayana and those changes depended upon the local traditions and politics. Religious beliefs also influenced these changes since the Malays were followers of Islam.There are literary and folktale versions of Ramayana in Malaysia. The Hikayat Seri Rama exists in both written and oral form, and the Wayang Kulit Siam is a shadow play from Kelantan on the border of Malaysia and Thailand (Siam). The Ramayana in Malaysia is used more for entertainment and social education rather than for spiritual or religious purposes. Kelantan is strongly Islamic, but it is also the main base for the Malay shadow puppet theatre.The main purpose of the Hikayat Seri Rama is to show the ideals of righteousness, love, loyalty, and selfless devotion. This Malay version has combined elements of the Indian Sanskrit Ramayana with local traditions and beliefs to create a highly developed story which is enjoyed by many.Watching “wayang kulit” or shadow play is a favorite past time in the countryside. “Wayang kulit” plays are influenced by Ramayana epic and said to be the leftover of Hindu empires which ruled the Malay archipelago as early as 2nd century.All Kelantan dalangs (shadow puppet puppeteers) are Muslims. The wayang (shadow play) is disliked by the conservative Muslims. They criticize the rituals and practices associated with the art which appear to them to be outlawed by Islam. The religious conservatives are also concerned with the effect that the music has on the people and the dalang during the performance. They object to the trance-like effect which seems to be produced by the gamelan (gong orchestra). The dalang usually performs 200 - 300 shows a year and probably no more than two are held for purposes other than entertainment. The literary and folktale versions include variations, changes, omissions, and additions based upon the particular region. Another version entitled Wayang Kulit Gedek appears to have come from Southern Thailand.In Malaysia, the Ramayana episodes are divided into two categories, those that concern the fundamental plot, pokok, (base,trunk) and those non-fundamental episodes, rantings (twigs), which consist of Rama's adventures and those of the other main characters. These extensive ranting stories are performed by local puppeteers (dalang) or performers.Rama and Shinta (Sita) from Ramayana.Some wayang kulit Melayu dalang claim that there are well over 1,000 flat leather puppets in a complete set, encompassing all the character needed to tell the Panji and Pandawa stories. The puppets used to this day, retain a form, style, and design very similar to the Javanese leather puppets of the wayang kulit purwa. The stage itself, however, follows the traditional Malay shadow play roofed operating hut raised on stilts, with a white screen stretched over a frame to partition off the unwalled side of the hut for viewing by the audience. Like the Malay wayang kulit Siam folk village form of shadow puppet theatre, the wayang kulit Melayu orchestra players sit inside the hut behind the dalang. While the manipulation of the leather puppet movements as well as the pace at which the story progresses is much slower in the wayang kulit Melayu type when compared to the fast-paced, village folk style of the wayang kulit Siam.The Malays do not look for the Hindu/Buddhist concepts of dharma, karma, and moksha in the hero Rama. They only view him as a righteous and virtuous model for mankind. With these traits he was able to triumph over evil. When comparing the Sanskrit Ramayana and the Hikayat Seri Rama we find they share the basic universal theme that goodness, righteousness, and justice will prevail over evil. These values and ideals appealed to the people in all the countries of South East Asia influenced by India.Malay storytellers however show the legacy of their particular civilization in their version of the epic. Malay writers and storytellers produce variations in which Lakhsmana, the younger brother, becomes more important than Rama the elder prince. Rama, although righteous and virtuous was perceived to be weak and his character is often moved to the background. The younger Lakhsmana's courage and willingness to react decisively appear to be traits which are more appreciated by the Malays.(Source: SEA Rmayana; Wayang Kulit Melayu)India's Chola kingsThe Cholas initially occupied present Tanjore and Trincnopoly districts with of South India and, up to the eight century A.D. the Chola kingdom was very small. However, the Cholas rose to prominence when in 850 their ruler Vijayalaya defeated the Pallavas and snatched Tanjore from them, making it the capital of the Chola kingdom. Aditya Chola dynasty defeated the last Pallava ruler in 987 A.D.and the Cholas later captured Madurai from the Pandyas who had controlled the lower tip of the peninsula from early times. Rajaraja (985-1014) extended Chola domination throughout South India and Sri Lanka, and challenged the Chalukyas who had controlled the north-eastern Deccan. His son Rajendra Cholaconquered the Andaman and Nicobar islands and advanced past the Ganges up to Bengal, assuming the title of “Gangaikonda” (the victor of Ganges). The powerful Chola state was now prepared to contest the maritime supremacy of Sri Vijaya Saliendras.At the dawn of the eleventh century, inscriptions indicate that ties of friendship still existed between the two empires, but it was only to be expected that the Chola kings should resent, and eventually seek to break, the commercial monopoly claimed by the Maharajas of the Straits. What finally precipitated the conflict between them is unknown. Possibly Sri Vijaya was restricting Indian trade with the Archipelago and China, or possibly the Cholas simply felt themselves strong enough to assert their undoubted maritime strength in a digvijayaydtra through foreign territory. Whatever the cause, in c. 1025 Rajendra I mounted a great raid against the Sri Vijaya empire, a record of which is preserved in a praiasti inscribed on the south wall of the Rajarajesvara temple in Tanjore:Rajandra despatched many ships in the midst of the rolling sea and caught Sangrama - Vijayottungavarman, the king of Kadaram (Kedah — one of the states in Malay Peninsular). Together with the elephants in his glorious army, he took the large heap of treasures which that king had accumulated and captured the arch called Vidyadharatorana at the war-gate of his extensive capital; Sri Vijaya (Palembang) with the jewelled wicket-gate adorned with great splendour and the gate of large jewels; Pannai (the east coast of Sumatra) with water in its bathing ghats; the ancient Malaiyur (Jambi) with the strong mountain for its rampart; Mayirudingam (on the Isthmus of Kra), surrounded by the deep sea as by a moat; Ilangasoka (Langkasuka/Patani), undaunted in fierce battles; Mappappalamhaving abundant deep water as a defence; Mevilimbangam guarded by beautiful walls; Valaippanduru, possessed of cultivated land and jungle; Talaittakkolam(Trang), praised by great men versed in the sciences; Madamalingam (Ligor), capable of strong action in dangerous battles; Ilamuri-desam (northern Sumatra), whose fierce strength rose in war; the great Nakkavaram (Nicobar islands) …; and Kadaram of fierce strength, which was protected by the deep sea.”While it does appear from that desciption that the Chola expedition managed to reach the furthest-flung frontiers of the Sri Vijaya empire, it did not seem to have destroyed it. Even with their conquests in South India, the Cholas seldom displaced the ruling dynasties of conquered territories, being satisfied with just tribute. The aim of the Cholas was probably just to force the empire to open its shipping lanes. Furthermore, Sri Vijaya was some 1,500 miles distant - and difficult to control. While the Saliendra Maharaja of Sri Vijaya may have acknowledged the overlordship of the Cholas and opened the Straits to Indian shipping for a few years, he certainly retained his independence intact.The subsequent relations of Sri Vijaya and the Cholas were certainly not wholly harmonious. In 1068, another Chola king, Vira Rajendra, mounted an expedition which conquered Kadaram (Kedah). This was apparently on behalf of its king, and we may assume that this was a possible attempt by Kedah, Sri Vijaya’s chief peninsular possession, to secede from the Empire. Relations seem to have normalised after this, but both Empires were by now already in decline. Sri Vijaya certainly was by now preoccupied by threats from other quarters and seeing the last days of its greatness.(Source: The Cholas), Malaysia Uncut — A Repository of Malaysian Stuff and More.)The Influence of India on Malay CulturesHINDU influence in the Malay Peninsula was initially limited more or less rigidly to the upper class of old Malay society - the ROYALTY. Malay royalty was essentially Hindu royalty descended, accoding to the Malay Annals, "SEJARAH MELAYU", from a legendary half-Indian and half-Greek monarch, Raja Suran (decendents of Alexander the Great), whose sons all bearing Indian proper names, Sang Nila Utama, Krishna Pendita, Nila Pahlawan, then descended on Bukit Siguntang Mahameru in Sumatera from whence Malay royalty spread.Early Malay literature is almost completely derived from Hindu epics, from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Even today, a major portion of Malay vocabulary is made up of Sanskrit words. Today, when a Malay speaks a sentence of ten words, probably five of them will be Sanskrit words, there Arabic and the remaining either of English, Chinese, Persian, Portuguese or some other origin. One expert even made the sweeping claim that there are only four words in the Malay vocabulary which are genuinely Malay i.e. :-"Api" (fire), "besi" (iron), "padi" (rice), and "nasi" (cooked rice).Words such as :-"putera" (son), "puteri" (daughter), "asmara" (love), "samudra" (ocean),"belantara" (jungle), "kenchana" (gold), "sukma" (soul),and literally thousands of other words are all Sanskrit words, either in original or in modified form.What of the influence of India on the religious developments of the Malaysian peoples ?Malay folk-lore and Malay literature show that during the period before the coming of ISLAM, about 1400 A.D., the greater Gods of the Malay pantheon were really borrowed Hindu divinities. They were, in some respect, modified by Malay ideas, but only the lesser Gods and Spirits were actually native to the Malay religious system. It is true that these native Gods and Spirits can be identified with the great powers of nature, such as the Mambang Angin (Spirit of the Wind), the Mambang Air (Spirit of the Water) and the Mambang Kuning (Spirit of the Sun). But none of them appears to have the status of the chief Gods of the Hindu system. Both the land and water, Shiva and Betara Guru or Kala, are supreme.In Malay folk-lore we find Vishnu, the preserver, Brahma the creator, Betara Guru (Kala) and S'ri all invoked in Malays, especially by Malay mystics (Pawang and Bomoh). Of all the greater deities of the Hindu system, Betara Guru is unquestionably the greatest. In Hikayat Sang Sembah, the tales of Sang Sembah, Betara Guru appears as a supreme God with Brahma and Vishnu and some subordinate deities. It is Betara Guru who alone has the "water of life", the elixir of life, which can restore life to dead humans and animals. To the Malay of old, then, and to the Malay bomohs even of the present day in whom are preserved these notions, "Tok Betara Guru" or any one of the corruptions which his name now bears, was all-powerful God who held the place of Allah before the advent of Islam, and was a Spirit so powerful that he could restore the dead to life. All prayers were addressed to him.Of the lesser deities of Hinduism, the most notable who have remained in Malay superstition and folk-lore are the "gergasi", half-human forest spirits of Hindu epic represented in Malay folk-lore as tusked orgres that feed on human flesh. Then there is "Raksaksa", a race of cannibal giants ruled, according to the Hindu Puranas, by Ravana. A tribe of raksaksa is mentioned in the Kedah annals, Hikayat Merung Mahawangsa, which tells of a giant king, Merung Mahawangsa, who led a tribe of giants and founded the present state of Kedah which they called Langkasuka. All in all, that a form of Hinduism was the accepted religion of the Malays prior to the advent of Islam is certain, and it is a fact amply proved by Malay folk-lore and superstition, Malay literature, Malay customs and various archaeological inscriptions.Muslim religious teachers in Malaysia today still preach the Islamic concept of heaven in a terminology which is neither Malay nor Arabic, but Hindu. The Sanskrit word "Syurga" is always used in connection with the Islamic concept of paradise. The proper Arabic word for this is actually "Al-Jannah". In the same way, the Hindu religious term "neraka" or hell is used by Muslim Malays to explain the Islamic concept of hell. The Arabic word for hell is "Al-Nar" or the place of fire. Then the Muslim fast, the annual religious abstention from food and drink, is known by the Sanskrit term "puasa". A Muslim religious teacher is often called "guru", another Hindu religious term, in fact the name of a Hindu deity, Betara Guru. The Muslim prayer is among the Malays, called "sembahyang". "Sembah" in Sanskrit means to pray, and "yang" is a Sanskrit term meaning divinity or conjuring respect, as in "Sang Yang Tunggal", the most divine one, and "Yang Dipertuan".There are many other Hindu religious terms that have lost their original meaning and are being freely and unconsciously used by Muslim Malays in connection with the religion of Islam. This shows that Hinduism exerted a profound influence on Malay culture before the coming of Islam to Malay peninsula. And this influence has survived, despite the strict monotheistic restrictions of the Islamic faith, to the present day. So, in religion as well as in other aspects of Malaysian culture, we cannot treat the influences of India as something belonging to the past. The political influence of old India which was climaxed by the great Empires of Sri Vijaya and Majapahit is today at an end, but the cultural influence of India which began at the beginning of the Christian era is still very much alive, and it will be alive for many, many centuries to come because it has become part of life of the Malaysian peoples.Source: SUVARNABHUMI -- The Influence of India on Malay CulturesSuvarnabhumi Airport - Churning of the Milk OceanIf you've ever departed from the new Bangkok airport - Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will be greeted by an impressive statue the moment you clear immigration.The churning of the ocean of milkThe statue depicts one of the famous scenes from Puranas (Hindu literature) — Samudra manthan (Devanagari: समुद्र मंथन) aka the churning of the ocean of milk. This story is celebrated in a major way every twelve years in the festival known as Kumbha Mela.Mahavishnu dancing on top of the serpentadisesha.The Churning of the ocean of milk tells of the story where Asuras and Devas (Celestial Beings) cooperated to churn the sea for thousands of years in order to extract the elixir of immortality, coveted by both groups.As you can see from the pictures, the Devas are engaged in a tug of war with the Asuras. Each team is holding onto one end of the king of serpent - Vasuki (aka Naga). The center of the serpent is coiled around Mt. Mandara (which is a pivot) and at the base of this pivot would be Vishnu, incarnated as a huge turtle.As the ocean churned, a deadly poison known as halahala emerged. Shiva drank this poison and his wife stopped it in his throat with her hands, causing the throat to turn blue. (explaining why Shiva is sometimes called Nīlakantha meaning Blue Throat). From the churning, numerous opulent things were also produced including Dhanvantari (Heavenly Physician) carrying the pot of Amrita - the heavenly nectar of immortality.In the end, the cooperation between Devas and Asuras was shattered with Vishnu taking the form of Mohini — a beautiful and enchanting damsel who served to distract the Asuras while distributing the nectar to the Devas. (a little cheating and deception seems to be happening here). The Devas having fulfilled their plan of acquring all the Amrita banished the Asuras out of Heaven and into the underworld.(Source: Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) - Churning of the Milk Ocean depicted from Jamie Tan's blog.; Suvarnabhumi Airport Photo Gallery)India's influence on South East Asia (SEA)HISTORY is repeating itself in South-East Asia, says Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, speaking of past, present and future Sino-Indian interaction, but it 'will not be reproduced in exactly the same form' because 'nothing ever is reproduced exactly the same'. The form it takes will depend to a large extent on the lessons South-East Asia is able to draw from its past. The region's Indic underpinning is its best-kept secret. In fact, ASEAN, the 10-nation grouping, can be called the 'Indianised states of South-East Asia' - in the words of French orientalist George Coedes — in modern garb.Asean's members enshrine the traditions of Temasek, Champa, Funan, Kataaha, Mataram and all the other lost kingdoms of the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires that ancient Indians knew collectively as Suvarnabhumi — Land of Gold.'When we refer to 1,000-year-old ties which unite us with India, it is not at all a hyperbole,' former king Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia said when dedicating a boulevard in Phnom Penh to India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. 'In fact, it was about 2,000 years ago that the first navigators, Indian merchants and Brahmins, brought to our ancestors their Gods, their techniques, their organization. Briefly, India was for us what Greece was to the Latin Occident,' he said.Language, religion, art, architecture, governance, institutions, temples, folk culture and — above all — a buoyant tradition of maritime trade and merchant guilds also marked the mission goals and influence that more than 50 eminent scholars from a dozen Asian and European countries will discuss at this conference. The event is jointly organised by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, the National Library Board, the Institute of South Asian Studies and the Asian Research Institute.Singapore's first foreign minister, the late Mr S. Rajaratnam, saw Chinese-majority Singapore's retention of its Sanskrit name as an affirmation of British historian A.L. Basham's thesis 'that the whole of South-east Asia received most of its culture from India'.And an Indian word — bumiputera — encapsulates Malaysia's most cherished political concept. Making images of the elephant — headed Hindu God Ganesha is a cottage industry in Java, while Thailand's Buddhist kings claim spiritual descent from India's legendary God-king Rama.For Minister Mentor Lee, ASEAN's Indic past resonates in the fun and frolic of Indonesian politics as opposed to the religious austerity of Malaysian election campaigns. Indonesians might also have succumbed to the passions that sweep Kelantan and Terengganu without 'that underpinning of Buddhism and Hinduism that gives them, particularly the Javanese, a certain balance'. He blames Jemaah Islamiah leaders of Arab descent for corrupting some Javanese.The 'Indian influence came from the west, in Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Malaysia, Indonesia', he said. 'The Chinese influence came through Vietnam and the city ports, the coastal ports of South-East Asia.' The porcelain cargo of sunken ships from before Admiral Cheng Ho's time bears this out.But the past was not only a time of peace and plenty. About 10 conference papers will focus on the naval might of India's Chola kings, who interacted extensively with South-East Asia in an age that has left behind some vexed questions with an intriguingly contemporary ring.Did Rajendra Chola raid Sumatra and Malaya because the Srivijayans obstructed his shipping? Did Mataram attack Srivijaya over the spice trade? Why did Majapahit overthrow Srivijaya? Undoubtedly, commerce was a major cause for the rise and fall of empires for, as the Portuguese Tome Pires who visited Malacca in the 1500s wrote: 'Whoever is lord of Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice.'Politically, did the Cholas accept Sung suzerainty or was this another Celestial Empire pretension? The suggestion that while South-east Asia saw India as the land of Hinduism and Buddhism and a major trading center, it also viewed China as exerting political and economic power sounds familiar.'I see now, with the revival of these two great powers, the same thrust coming in from the East and the West,' said Minister Mentor Lee. Much will depend on how Asean composes its internal differences to manage great-power mingling.

Life’s too short to be gloomy and intense all the effing time, so if you’re in the mood for some chuckles and LOL moments, look no further! This list of Bollywood’s best comedy movies of all time will be your best happiness booster:1) Hera Pheri (2000)Dil dariya hai baaki sab samandar hai, yeh meri samasya hai’ – Baburao ApteThe iconic trio Raju (Akshay Kumar), Shyam (Sunil Shetty), and Baburao (Paresh Rawal) need no introduction. Their wretched plans of making easy money always get tangled up in a mess of their own stupidity, lack of coordination, and multiple groups of antagonists. Literally, every generation has grown up watching these.2) Chachi 420 (1997)This critically acclaimed comedy-drama is the perfect balance of emo and gags. Kamal Haasan is just sensational as ‘Chachi’ and the supporting cast does a pretty effing amazing job too!3) Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)With a legendary star cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Satish Shah, Satish Kaushik, Bhakti Barve, and Neena Gupta, this film should be on everyone's watch list.4) Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006)The Khosla clan singlehandedly fighting Khurana is one of the most satisfying revenge stories in Bollywood, not to mention the most hilarious.5) Dulhe Raja (1998)‘Hamara sahab aayega toh lafda kar dega’ – ChhotuGovinda has a flair for comedy that works for the masses, not for the classes. But who cares? In Dulhe Raja – the most David Dhawanesque comedy that David Dhawan didn’t make – he plays the title role, a smooth-talking roadside Dhaba owner. The script sympathizes with him, just the way it does for Rajinikanth or Mithun Chakraborty and other stars with irresistible mass appeal. It’s a typical Govinda character of a glib ruffian who falls for the rich man’s daughter.One of the main pleasures of a Govinda film, besides generous doses of romp, are the songs. The popular Akhiyon se goli maare demonstrates the star’s free-style dance moves while the qawwali Suno sasurji, though equally cringe-worthy, is watchable exactly for those reasons.6) Bombay to Goa (1972)This one is hands down the most adventurous Bollywood journey you’ll ever take. Can’t miss this one where a young Amitabh Bachchan exchanges comedic notes with Mehmood in top-notch form. The set pieces involving the endless quirky characters were a rage.7) Namak Halaal (1982)Amitabh Bachchan could talk English, walk English and laugh English too. In an age when CGI was nonexistent, at least in Hindi cinema, Mr Bachchan and a fly was all it took to draw endless fits of laughter from the audience. There was the usual masala movie tropes in there too. This was like a Deewar with Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh, but with some intense comedy.8) Andaz Apna Apna (1994)‘Aaj mujhe ehsaas hua, ki aap purush hi nahin, maha purush hai’ – AmarThis ‘90s multi-starrer is the kind of classic comedy that can be watched and re-watched a zillion times without ever getting bored. Middle-class Amar (Amir Khan) and Prem (Salman Khan) compete for the love of a millionaire’s daughter, Raveena, in the most hilarious of ways.9) Raja Babu (1994)‘Samajtha nahin hai yaar’ – NanduDavid Dhawan hit it big with dramas like Swarg and Shola Aur Shabnam in the 1990s but found his niche in slapstick. Aankhen was his first major hit, but with Raja Babu, he got into full-fledged populist comedies. The plots (however preposterous) were often refashioned from Southern hits and there was always the reliably gabby charms of Govinda to turn it into comic gold. The two had already worked together and by the time of Raja Babu, you can see that they had arrived at a comfort level enjoyed by frequent collaborators.Their exclusive pastime includes hiring a small-time theater to watch an Amitabh Bachchan actioner and generally, gallivanting around on a flashy bike (matched to Govinda’s colorful costumes), Nandu faithfully holding the umbrella for his boss from the backseat. Raja Babu makes high art of low humor.10) Tere Bin Laden (2010)A desperate reporter casts a fake Osama Bin Laden for a fake video that’ll help him immigrate to America. Things don’t go as planned and the visa office shuts down. To say the least, this one is epic!11) Aankhen (1993)Munnu, Bunnu, and tons and tons of confusion, this one marked the beginning of David Dhawan and his lifelong love with comedy. The madcap bromance between Govinda and Chunky Pandey was phenomenal.12) Bawarchi (1972)No cook wants to work with the always bickering Sharma family. Cut to Raghu comes into the picture and the family unites. But is Raghu all clean or is there something he’s hiding? Rajesh Khanna as the loveable, quirky, and golden-hearted servant was in top form. Bawarchi is the family entertainer of Indian cinema.13) Gol Maal (1979)‘Main tujhe maaf nahin, saaf kar dunga’ – Bhawani ShankarThis movie starring Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt in lead roles is one of the most iconic comedy films in Bollywood. So we're not surprised to see this one on the list.A classic comedy with an airtight script and some hilarious moments. Apart from the funny parts being genuinely funny, the humor is also sensible (a quality most modern-day comedies lack). Ramprasad (Amol Palekar), his fake twin, and his boss Bhavani (Utpal Dutt) will make your movie night a complete riot!14) Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958)There’s a no-woman rule in this household of three unmarried brothers. Things take several turns once the younger lads fall in love. That rare madcap comedy, where Kishore Kumar and Madhubala turned up the romantic interludes with some high tempo comedy. It also featured all three Ganguly brothers, Ashok, Kishore, and Anoop in what was India’s more deftly nuanced answer to the Marx Brothers.15) Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)Munna and Circuit’s rib-tickling Jodi is a comedy-drama with just the right amount of masala and romance. No wonder, it’s achieved a cult status followed by an equally hilarious sequel.16) Chhichhore (2019)Starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor, and Varun Sharma, this film tells the tale of love, friendship, parenthood, and growing up.17) Chhoti Si Baat (1976)A heart-warming comedy about a love triangle, starring Amol Palekar, Vidya Sinha, and Ashok Kumar in lead roles.18) Chupke Chupke (1975)Starring Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, and Om Prakash in lead roles, this film is a beautiful example of how comedy doesn't need to be crass.19) Khubsoorat (1980)Things in a strict household change once a feisty girl comes to stay there for a couple of days and stirs up a storm. The film is one of the best rom-com ever made and is remembered for Rekha’s comic genius.20) Padosan (1968)This one’s definitely a top contender in the best comedy films of all time. A simple guy falls in love with his lovely neighbor and takes help from his pals to impress the girl who is getting closer to her music teacher. Fun and music hit the right chords. The singing bouts between Sunil Dutt’s and Mehmood’s characters are legendary. Kishore Kumar is the soul of this comedy.21) Chashme Buddoor (1981)Roommates fall for the same girl – two lose, one wins her heart. All that goes on between the other two trying to split them up and a happy ending is lapped with oodles of laughter. Chashme Buddoor was the perfect college people comedy deeply relevant to the early 80s.22) Angoor (1982)Based on Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors, this film stars Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma in lead roles.23) Bhagam Bhag (2006)Just like the name suggests, this movie is a hysterical tale of three theatre performers running round and round in the labyrinth of murder and mishaps. Three of comedy’s kings--Paresh Rawal, Govinda, and Akshay Kumar come together for this one, so there’s no doubt it’s going to be funny as hell.24) Queen (2013)This Kangana Ranaut film follows the journey of a recently dumped Indian girl who goes on her honeymoon to find herself and ends up making friends, across the world.25) Chup Chup Ke (2006)Unpopular opinion: this is the second-best movie of the Kareena-Shahid duo after Jab We Met. This movie is as witty and hilarious as a Priyadarshan movie gets!26) Fukrey (2013)The plans of four friends--Hunny, Choocha, Lali, and Zafar--who want to make easy money, get bombarded with unprecedented characters and an unfortunate turn of events. A refreshing take on urban middle-class youth with some seriously LOL moments and a promising performance by the entire cast.27) Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)Probably the first of its kind, this film amalgamated both comedy and horror in the most unexpected of ways and we have ace director Priyadarshan to thank for it. As much as we laughed at Dr. Aditya and Chhote Pandit’s humor, Monjulika scared the crap out of us!28) Go Goa Gone (2013)Bollywood’s first full-fledged zombie movie may not have been taken seriously but honestly, it wasn’t meant to be! This movie is every bit chuckle-inducing in the most millennial way and its adult content is very very enjoyable.29) Vicky Donor (2012)Ayushmann Khuranna’s breakthrough into B-Town, Vicky Donor is an unusually funny movie with an equally unconventional plot. It’ll make your jaws ache with laughing too hard while also busting taboos around sperm banks, sexuality, and sexual health.30) Delhi Belly (2011)A film worth every last penny, Delhi Belly is downright sensible as well as hilarious. The performances by Tashi (Imran Khan), Arup (Vir Das), and Nitin (Kunaal Roy Kapur) is absolutely flawless and the plot hysterical.31) Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998)It’d be an utter shame if you call yourself a Bollywood buff and have not watched this movie. Watching Arjun (Big B) and Pyare (Govinda) catch their criminal lookalikes is a riot. It’s illogical and extremely funny--a complete Bollywood masala movie!32) Coolie No. 1 (1995)Has to be one of the best comedies of all time, Coolie No.1 is the perfect twisted tale of impersonation, lies, and a whole lot of ROFL moments. Govinda and Karisma set the box office on fire with their on-screen chemistry and it’s comic-timing is still appreciated.33) 3 Idiots (2009)Starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor and Sharman Joshi in lead roles this movie is based on Chetan Bhagat's novel Five Point Someone: What not to do at IIT!.34) Hungama (2003)This one is 100% comedy and nothing else! No matter how many times over one watches this movie, it just never gets boring or annoying. Hungama actually makes us nostalgic about the good old 2000’s comedies without an entourage of 100 actors, senseless overlapping storylines, and the bad humor that followed in movies post this era.Well, There’s no end to the list, so I just stop here hope you liked it!!Do upvote and share if you liked the content :)Also, comment down which ones your favorite!!Thanks for reading :)

Well I don’t think much of anything is interesting about me, but here goes.My name is LizzyI am an only childI am fifteen years old in less than two weeks.I was born in ColoradoI like puns way too muchI play saxophoneI plan to go to college after high schoolI know how to start a campfireI love hiking and camping and backpackingI’ve lived in at least ten houses I can rememberI’ve gone to at least five schools that I can rememeberI am in the process of trying to write several novelsAbout ten months ago I started karate and I have no intention of stoppingI have family in AustraliaI’ve been to AustraliaI’ve been to Las VegasI’ve been to DisneylandI punched a girl in fifth grade. We made a card for the other class and she took all the credit, and the teacher gave her all the credit. So I punched her.During fifth grade at recess time I was known for sitting by myself in this little alcove and reading. There’s a picture of me reading in the yearbook.I’m bi. Or sometimes I think I might be technically pan. But I like girls more, so I don’t know. All I know is that people are pretty.I have a Texas Food Handlers card which allows me to sale custom order cakes in my local community. I bake a lot of birthday cakes.I’m a decent cake baker and decorator.I’ve been the Grand Canyon twiceI do not own a smart phoneThis list is going to take way to long to complete but I’m committed and stubbornI was born in the middle of a storm. I am Lizzy Stormborn, first of her name.I like pineapple on pizza.Even more than that I like the sweet canned mandarin oranges on pizza.I like vegtablesThe biggest city I’ve lived in has a population of less than 85,000 and the towns I have lived most of my life in have had populations closer to 1,000I have sworn an oath that unless I am literally starving to death I will never eat at another McDonald's.I really like vegtablesParticularly I really like lettuceI’m an Atheopagan jediMy favorite color is blueMy second favorite color is purpleMy favorite animals are dragons. Fight me.I’m a bit of a geekI’m also a bit of a nerdI like readingI like fantasy and sci fiNever dated anyoneI’m still very close with my friends from middle school, even though I moved hundreds of miles away.I’m a girl.I like mountains.I like nature.I cannot remember living in a house with two married parentsI cannot remember the names of all my parents boyfriends and girlfriends they’ve had over the years, but I’m okay with that.I like video games.I like a variety of music genres, just not country.I decorate my room enthusiastically. I like it to be a reflection of who I am. I spend a lot of time here, so I filled it with things that make me happy.I am in my room right nowI tend to dress simplyI don’t wear makeup and never learned how, nor do I really have a desire to do soI’ve had pretty much perfect attendance since fourth grade.I have a condition called Hemihypertrophy, in which one side of my body is larger than the other to a great extent. It doesn’t really affect my life that much but I do have to wear a lifter in my shoe to help correct the difference when I walk.Because of my Hemihypertrophy, I have had more x-rays and ultrasounds than I can remember. Fun times.I’m afraid of needles.I sculpt wire trees as a hobby sometimesI still kept some stuffed animals from when I was younger becuase they have a connection to my motherI play music at my local farmer’s marketI am the first person at my local senior center to not get a single compliant calling bingo outI volunteer at the movie theater and senior centerI’m liberalI practice daily meditationsI practice karate dailyI have short hairI have blue eyes, my mother eyesI was conceived in a yurt. You didn’t need to know that…I get afraid, a lot.And then some days I’m the most annoying optimistic person on the planet.I do not have siblings, but I have friends who are family to me. So I would say proudly I have at least three brothers and four sisters.I don’t believe love is limited to romantic love. I believe in the love of friendship and family.I have a really weird sense of humor and sometimes I find the stupidest things hilarious and just. Can’t. Stop. Laughing.And sometimes I feel like the world is crashing and burning around me and I break down in tears.But I still get up every morning.And most of those mornings I remember to brush my teeth and eat something.I will finish this listMy mom and I read the entire harry potter series out loud starting when I was like 7. Honestly I could pretty much read them on my own but I loved reading them with her. She did the best Hagrid voice.My mom and her roommate read the the Tiffany Aching books to me at the same age. They are still some of my favorite books.I keep a notebook with me to write down writing ideas.I can cook but I’m a much better baker. I’ve made sauces that are chewy and I’ve burnt pasta before, but what turns out int he end after a few over boils is more or less edible and usually tastes pretty good.I’ve also done archery in the past, and have gone rabbit hunting with a bow and arrow before.My family would get together with another family and butcher hogs and chickens and stuff like thatI first rode a horse bareback when I was like 4 years oldI’ve been to Las Vegas. When I was like nine. For a choir trip. That was…an interesting trip.My padawan braid is like ten inches long nowI like to ramble on about some weird thoughts my brain has sometimesThats why I like writing, I get to rambleIf you need to talk to someone and for whatever reason you want to talk to me, go a head and send me a message.I’ve had crushes on both guys and girls.I’ve never gotten a detention or suspension. I don’t even remember, wait maybe I did get a a detention for punching that girl?I have a saxophone mouse padI have a flag hanging above my desk that is a combination of the Colorado and rainbow flagsI once saw Mahler’s fifth symphony live and I loved it. I was eleven.I have made my birthday cake every year since I was ten.Last year I was a straight A studentThat is the only straight thing about meI am the youngest in my gradeI just came up with the hundredth thing about meI prefer Marvel over DCMy favorite soda is rootbeerI love chocolateMy father is a veteranI grew up watching Avatar:The Last Airbender and I still love it.I also love Stargate, Samantha Carter was my role modelI also love Game of Thrones, didn’t grow up watching it like Stargate and Avatar though of courseMy mom was kind of a nerd, introduced me to Star Wars when I was like six? Seven?I used to be really into My Little Pony, but like my favorite part was when they were like actually fighting the bad guys. I like magic and fights and all that.I also really like FireflyI have a filing cabinetPeople tend to think I’m weirdI think I’m kind of weirdI eat lettuce with chopsticks for lunch a lot of daysI eat pretty much everything with chopsticksI like being weird, normal would be boringI eat lunch alone out at the band practice field some days so I can actually get some quietI have a cat, and I love herI am on my schools academic competition teamI watched PBS kids growing upI drink a lot of herbal teas, usually with no sugarMy mother had a degree in ethobotonyMy mother taught me yoga when I was younger, and she was a yoga instructorI hope I would make my mother proudI miss my old schoolI miss the mountainsI miss the mountain airI used to have my hair dyed purple and blue but this new school won’t let me.I’m aware I’ve switched between having period at the end of some of these and not on other but I probably won’t fix that.I’m surprised you’ve read this farI have 113 followers on Quora right nowMy answers have 57.1k viewsI was a top writer last year, somehowI’m an enthusiast for helping the environment and trying to minimize climate changeI wrote a fan fiction in middle school that has gotten over 20 thousand views. And I abandoned it.I tend not to get angry at peopleEven with people I really don’t like and who are really rude to me, I try to be politeI’m really good at convincing adults I’m a good child.I’ve been on a plane twice, as far as I can remember.I’ve been on a train three times though.My feet have gotten to the point where I almost had to switch over to a mens shoeBecuase of the hemihypertrophy, shoes are a nightmare.I own exactly five pairs of shoes. One pair of tennis shoes. One pair of sandals. One pair of dress shoes. And one pair of hiking boots.I have a love hate relationship with marching band.I actually prefer concert band.But I still do love marching band.I could be doing something really productive now, but I’m not.My favorite curse is “Bloody hell!”I’ve only been on a rollercoaster once, didn’t like it.I don’t like heights.Well more specifically, I don’t like flying, tall buildings or structures, or deep water.I’m fine with standing on the edges of cliffs or rock climbing.I used to have a problem with taking pills. Then my allergies started to get worse when we moved and I came to terms with it.I’m really annoyed I can only speak one language.I don’t really like skittles.I have a sort of fascination with trees.I’ve been to Yellowstone National Park.I’ve been to Mesa Verde National Park several times.I’ve been to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.I’ve been to Petrified Forest National Park.I’ve been to Meteor Crater.I’ve been to Chaco Canyon.I’ve been to Arches National Park.I’ve been to Canyon of the Ancients.I’ve been to Canyonlands national park.I’ve been to Grand Teton national park.I feel like listing all those was kind of cheating.My middle school science teacher is in a movie on Netflix.I’ve gone to a summer band camp the past two years.This is my non spoiler reaction to Infinity War, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHI’ve been to Padre Island.My friends and I have a inside joke around Queso.I love bagpipes.Also I really like Celtic music.I usually make a cake or something for my teachers once or twice a year, typically for valentines day.I also used to make my old band director a gluten free cake every year for his birthday.I believe the existence of the Venova is a wonderful thing.I recently connected with one of my mother’s boyfriends who I was much closer with and hopefully might get to see him for the first time in year in a few months.I celebrate the solstices and the equinoxesI did NanoWrimo last year, and reached the 50,000 word count goalI made a fairy tail birthday cake last yearFor the first time in my life I’m not really excited about going back to school this year. But eh, I’ll deal.I love karate because it’s a never ending journeyA metaphor I use for challenges in my life is to think of them as mountains. I’m from Colorado. I was born to climb mountains.I like Hamilton, but I think you have to remember our founding fathers are a little over glorified sometimes.I also grew up watching the Princess Bride and if you haven’t seen this yet Diego Swaddipong we have a serious issue.Another show I like is Outlander, but the primary reason I like it is because it has bagpipes in the theme music and is set in Scotland.I believe in equality.Even though I may not agree with my religious friends, I try to be very open about learning about their beliefs.I always try to make sure the characters I write are diverse, but that being diverse isn’t their only characteristics. I don’t write gay characters. I write some characters who happen to be gay.Each year my dad and I will make like hundreds of Christmas cookies it is actually insanity.I’ve googled some weird stuff for writing books.I also know just a little to much about swords and armor.I don’t know how I’m going to wait till the next season of Game of Thrones.I also don’t know how I’m going to wait until Captain Marvel or Avengers 4.I’m super hyped about Captain Marvel and am considering cosplaying her for Halloween next year.Last year my summer job was mowing lawns. This year it was babysitting.I’m going to get to see the game of thrones live concert experience this year and I’m super hyped.If you’ve read this far I’m impressed.I’m only a fifth of the way through this. Bloody hell.I got a flip phone when I was seven. Mostly due to the fact I was going between two houses a lot.I don’t ware glasses.My full first name means “God has sworn” or “Oath of god.” I am the vulgar language of God.English is probably my best subject.Last year on the Texas Staar tests I got commended scores on English, Math, and Biology.I scored the second highest in my school for English Staar.I will respect your religious beliefs, and even more I will fight for your right to those beliefs, as long as they are not harming others.I’ve only said the f-sword once in front of my father. It was that scene in the Martian where his potatoes die. And my dad just looks over at me, doesn’t say anything, with this look that says “Yeah, that’s accurate.” And then we go back to the movie. There was no point to this story.I am near certain no one will read to this point.This is probably going to be the longest thing I’ve written for Quora.But I have novel drafts upwards of 90,000 words so not the longest thing I’ve written.I’ve attempted to write poetry on occasion.I think a lot of people in my life give me far more credit than I deserve honestly.I don’t like the typically ball related sports but if you’re into them I won’t judge.I used to be in volleyball. Hated it.I am a feminist.I’ve been to both sides of the Pacific Ocean and I’ve been to the Gulf Of Mexico.I’m annoyed each number is only .1% of this answer.I’ve never been in an earthquake.During graduation last year the tornado siren went off and I about passed out in fear. So I guess I’ve been in a tornado. Or at least a freaky storm that was very close to creating a tornado.I’m wearing blue pants right now.I only 7 pairs of lose black pants.My typical clothing is black pants and a lose, typically solid color t shirt.I’ve worn sandals in snow.I’ve gone bare foot in snow (not for like an extended amount of time but it is fun to dance around in freshly fallen snow barefoot.)I prefer sandals but I really should wear tennis shoes more often because it’s better for my spine or something.I don’t wear glasses or contact lensesMy class was surprised at the amount of minecraft knowledge I have.That is because my brain like to hold on to useless information from when I was like ten.I love flags.I love being proud.I’m proud to be from Colorado.I’m proud to be a musician.I’m proud to be a writer.I’m proud to be a karateka.I’m proud to be bi.I’m proud of my friends.I’m proud of my mother.I’m proud of my father.I’m proud that I’m proud.I have like 24 national geographics that are like three years old.Whenever I get really upset about something I will imagine I’m a big oak tree and that genuinely helps me calm down.I think Shuri is amazing.I think Arya Stark is amazing.I think Tony Stark needs a hug.I got to attend a small Pride gathering last June and it was amazing.I have two sets of prayer flags in my room. They are not for aesthetic purpose.I have a pagan focus in my room.Like I said, I’m kind of weird.I have two Ganesha figures and several Buddha figures of my mom’s.Although I don’t generally like dresses, I do occasionally like dressing up for formal events.If you make fun of one of my friends I am 125% going to defend them. And if you hurt one of them, I will probably hurt you.I’ve seen a swarm of bats coming out of a bat cave.I own three saxophones.I am over a quarter through this.I have felt pain.I have felt loneliness.I have felt boredom.I have felt joy.I have felt loved.I have felt exhilaration.I have stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon.I have hiked below the rim of the Grand Canyon, something most visitors to the Grand Canyon don’t do.I have not eaten breakfast this morning.I am listening to music while writing this.I love art of all kinds.I own a bunch of colored pencilsThe kids I babysit this summer love the way I made chocolate milkI walk home from schoolI usually bring my own lunch to school.I have been bringing my own lunch to school since I started school.I used to have long hair, then I cut it in seventh grade.I’m scared I’m going to let everyone downI like having short hairI’m getting my hair cut in three days.I have to go take my registration papers up to the school in three days.Several weeks ago I passed my green belt exam.I have a cat purring on my foot right now.I went sledding every year as a kid.I went skiing every year as a kid.I prefer cross country skiing to downhill skiing.I got a couple of my friends into karate.I’m quite certain no one is reading this to this point but I’m going to finish this anyways.I’m wearing a shirt right now that I can’t decide if it’s purple or pink.I’m writing this on Quora.No one laughs at my jokes usually.I’m middling, average height. Short people will tell you I’m tall, tall people will tell you I’m short.I was hoping this wouldn’t take so long but I’m too far down the rabbit hole to stop.The town I grew up in mostly had this nature park with a half a mile trial. I would walk there with my dog every day.When I was little, I would walk there with my mom.I haven’t seen Ant-man and the Wasp and I am super annoyed about this because my local theater gets thing like a month or two late.I am high school.I don’t like okra.I don’t like fried food.I like fruit.Even though they can be exhausting, I quite enjoy being around little kids.I dressed up in a homemade bird costume once.I dressed up as an air bender for spirit week at my school once.No one ever picks me for sports until the academic team went to region and we played soccer at the beach. Apparently the idea was to pick the two nerdiest people to be team captains.I suck at soccer.I have built sand castles at the beach.My hair can’t decide if it wants to be straight, wavy, or curly.One section of my bangs likes to go into a full on corkscrew curl some days.I own a kimono.I have a piggy bank from Las Vegas.I’ve been to cirque du soleilI am fascinated about learning about different cultures.I don’t generally like partiesI went to prom this year. It was…okay I guess?I despise hot weather.I have almost fainted before.I am going to another karate competition this weekend.One of my grandfathers is coming into visit this week.I live with just my dad and my cat.I work with a punching bag almost daily.My forearms are currently bruised from karate.I think cats are evil and I love them for it.I have played saxophone for five years now.Sometimes I’m too hard on myself.When I was little I did not have a lot of friends outside family friends.I think the purpose of life is to never know the answer to the question, “what is the meaning of life?” And thus, to live in eternal wonder.This will be the 204th answer I have on Quora, however I have deleted a few answers I wasn’t happy with.I know a tomato is a fruit.Sometimes I like to watch people around me that don’t realize I’m watching them. That sounds creepier than I thought it would.I like movies, I think they can be a form of art.I love books.I like new bookstores, but I also love secondhand bookstores and the little book corner at the thrift store.I’m LGBTQ supportive, obviously.I try to face my fears.Sometimes I listen to the same song on repeat over an over again.One of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs is “Where are you”Another of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs is “Fly me to the moon”My favorite type of weather is snow.I love mountain rivers.I’ve drank from pure mountain springs before, and it is the best water I have ever tasted.I enjoy philosophyI like being happy.Sometimes, I even like being sad.I enjoy thinking about hypothetical scenarios.I like history.I like getting enough sleep, although I seldom do.I like poetry.I have liked dragons since I was little.I like swords.O have made four different wooden sword for Halloween costumes over the years, with my dads help.With my dads help we also made a wooden glaive.I have started learning the bo staff in karate.I think paradoxes are amazingThe next time I pick up a harry potter book will be if I am reading it to my own child.I generally like meeting new people.I am not entirely out at my school.I was once attacked by four large dogs.I am now afraid of dogs I don’t knowI think the sky is beutifulI have been canoeingI had to use spell check to help me spell canoeingI find the new airheads commercials disturbingMy favorite number is 5I believe discipline is importantI’m fine for now with not having a smartphoneI have a sweet tooth, but I limit it because I’m trying to get in better shape for karateMy favorite tree is the aspen tree.My favorite instrument is the saxophone, followed by bagpipes.I have a bad habit of loosing things.My dad has a tendency to stress me out sometimes.I may get to see some family for Christmas this year.If not it’s just going to be me and my dad for Christmas, like last year.I don’t like mushroomsI have a glass of water on my deskI’m sarcastic sometimesI have part of the wall in front of me covered will sticky notesI own three pencil sharpenersI own two pocket knivesI just took an allergy pillThe birthday cake when I turned nine was dark chocolate with strawberries and it tasted really good.I like making cakes because they make people smile.I like writing because books have helped me in life.I like karate because the dojo gives me a place I belong.I like music because my old ban gave me friends for the first time, my old band director helped me a lot through life, and music gives me a connection to my mom.Even though I am terrified of needles I plan to donate blood when I am allowed.It’s occurring to me that none of these facts have been really interesting, but I’m going to keep going anyways.I’m an introvert.I’m pretty good at math in school.I hope I can be a drum major before I graduate high school.I am positive no one is reading all this.I volunteer at a cancer benefit event each yearI have moved so many times in my life, and yet I still suck at moving.I used to have a lot of knickknacksI own two snow globesSometimes I’ll space out staring at a wall or something and in my head I’m planning out a battle strategy for a book.I tend to do a lot of math in my head and write down certain numbers as I do to remember the numbers but my math teachers don’t like thisI don’t like TrumpI try to follow the newsI think logic is good sometimes, and other times maybe not so much.I listen to a lot of soundtracks.I have a black desk.I have a freckle on own of my fingers.My room is a bit of a messI’m excited for band practice tommorowI love helping my friends in EnglishI have a bad memory when it comes to tests over specific information, but generally I have good test taking skillsI find old buildings interesting.I like Greek mythsI like Scottish mythsI like Irish mythsI like mythsI have a friend who’s Irish and Spanish, she got me into karate.I’m not even halfway through this.I live in a small town.A lot of people are surprised that I listen to rock sometimes.I named my cat FireflyI loved being in my old schools pep band and playing at football games, basketball games, volleyball games, and even cross country meets.I have never used Quora on mobile.I will go through weird period on Quora where I just…don’t write anything for a few months.I’m okay with some cursingI used to have a weird thing in middle school where I would just start talking with a British accent and not realize it.I’m right handed.I’m left eye dominant.I am made of stardust, just like all of us.I love space.I find it kind of cool astronauts have watched movies on the ISS.I’ve been to a lot of US states.I’ve been to Sydney but really only the airport.I find what computer can do fascinatingI just got into an argument with my dadI like a lot of book so it’s hard for me to pick a favorite.I live on planet earth, it’s a pretty cool placeI’m in a lot of fandoms.I’m not very good at drawing, but I enjoy itI’m not very good at photography, but I enjoy itI have the love life of a potato. No…a radish. No one likes radishes.I used to have a tradition of playing happy birthday on my saxophone at my friend’s birthday’sI have gotten stuck upside down on a stair well beforeI usually have a hard time talking about myselfI got separated from my school group at the Grand Canyon a nine mile hike.I met someone from Scotland on that hike.I have a crush.The last person I texted was the local movie theater to see if they need volunteers tonight.My favorite song lyric is by WookieFoot, “The Earth is not given to you by your parents, it is loaned to you by your children. The Earth is not given to you by your parents, it is loaned to you by your children’s children.”My favorite song by WookieFoot is “Earthling”I’m going to get my permit this next year.I own a kaleidoscope.I have several prisms hanging in my window.I like the A Song of Ice and Fire book series.I wish I was funny.I’m certain no one has read this far.I’m listening to Celtic music.I’ve spent far longer on this list than I meant to.I’m hungry, but I ate breakfast now.I think English is stupid sometimes.From karate I know more Japanese than I do Spanish.I only know a handful of terms in JapaneseI watched the movie Skyscraper last night.I get annoyed by some peopleI’m tiredI stayed up last night until 1:30 am, so I actually went to bed relatively early.I believe love is loveI am not an interesting personI am near certain no one will read all of this.I don’t think I actually have 1000 things about me, but I won’t give up.My middle name starts with a BI prefer my mother’s maiden name to the last name I haveI have a lot of cousinsI say spaghetti kind of weird apparently.In two weeks I will be over 5,475 days oldIn two weeks I will be over 131,400 hours oldMy heart has beat somewhere around 758,918,963 times since I was born.I don’t know why I’m doing this.I never really know why I’m doing somethingWhen I started music I was just drawn to it.When I first started my book it just felt write.When I started karate it just felt like something I should be doing.I am not going to proofread this answer.If anyone reads this I would actually be amazed.I write not just because I want to be heard, but also because I want to speak.I have an idea of where I want to go in life.I think also that might change.I have grown from who I was years ago.I think living is amazing.And then there are some days where I fail to see the point in everything.I have a mason jar on my desk.I have two hands.I think the fact we even exist is pretty cool.I think each moment in time is a result of all the moments that came before it and it leads to all moments to come.I believe everything is connected.I think no one will read this.But I’m enjoying writing this, so I will keep going.I think every moment matters.I think every action we take echoes out far beyond our deaths.I think we live on through the consequences of our actions.I do not believe in an afterlife.I believe that to know your days are numbered gives life meaning.I still believe in friendship.I still believe there is good in the world.I believe in kindness.I believe change starts small.I have a lot of amazing people in my life.I should do the dishes.I just went and did the dishes.I think Littlewood’s Law is pretty cool.I will experience a moment about once a month month that exceeds the probability of one in a million.I am over halfway through this.I have some amazing friends.I’ve never been jet skiing.I will never sky dive.I’m drinking a glass of almond milk, even though I can drink regular milk.I’ve been in moments that are happy and sad at the same time.I would recommend visiting the Grand Canyon if you ever get the chance.I think love is real.I just put my laundry in the wash.I didn’t write this list entirely in order.I don’t write my books chapter by chapter.Sometimes I write the climax of a book before I write the middle.I listen to music a lot, but sometimes I like to hear the silence or natural sounds around me.I get bad headaches sometimes.I have allergies.I don’t get sick very often.I think there are things that are infinite.I love being able to see the stars at night.I wish everyone could see the stars.I don’t think today was completely horrible.I have actually been working on this for two days now.Sometimes I don’t like my name.I get fascinated by the way life works.I think life finds a way.I get up at 5:50 am almost every day.I try to make a positive impact on the world around me.It makes me sad not everyone can be proud of who they are.I think it doesn’t matter what color your skin is.I think it doesn’t matter who you love.I respect people’s pronouns.I have a glass of water on my desk.I’m trying to remember to stay hydrated better.My laptop is silver colored.I have a poster of a dragon.I have a lot of photographs I save.I don’t know how I’m going to finish this.I usually hate lists, and irony.I attempted to make a joke.I’m not sure I’m going to do anything for Halloween this year.I’ve always made homemade Halloween costumes.One year I was Pipi Longstocking.I use to love Pipi Longstocking.I watched the Adams family when I was little.I’m glad I haven’t given up on this.I’ve been told I have a weird imagination.I like thinking.If I ever do get married, I want to make sure it won’t end in divorce.My parents divorced.My parents’ parents’ divorced.I have two living Great-grandmothersI’m glad I got to meet one of my Great-grandfathers.Coming out to my dad was stressful.But I got lucky.I think clouds are fascinating.Throughout middle school I always ate at this picnic table by the school gardens with my friends.That picnic table is where we met.That picnic table is where I made my first real friends.I like to eat my lunch outside.People exhaust me sometimes.But not my friends.I’ve gone camping with my friends.I find air mattresses uncomfortable and annoying.I slept on the mats at karate camp instead of a air mattress.I prefer the cold over the heat.I did ballet when I was little.I also did tap dancing.I also did soccer for a bit, but I still suck at soccer.I went backpacking for the first time when I was five years old with my mom and we got lost.I’m listening to the Sound of Silence.My family always celebrated winter solstice.I started kindergarten earlier than I was suppose to.I’ve been to the Denver Zoo.I’ve swam in hot springs.I’ve swam in mountain rivers.I’ve climbed trees.My knees are scarred from my falling down on them when I was little.I have pictures of me wearing snow boots and a swim suit.My mother had a really pretty tattooMy dad was some cool tattoos.My mother had dreads for awhile.My mother played saxophone.I’m still close with some of my mom’s friends.I dressed up as a princess a lot when I was younger.But secretly I was more of a warrior queen.I like rainbows.I like color.Sometimes I like black and white though.Sometimes I like simply elegance.I am in a debate competition.I am also in a essay writing competition.I’m aware I’ve switched back and forth between I’m and I am. I do not care.I’ve gone mushroom hunting in the forest.The first house I lived had a red door.The stair case in the house I first lived in has been replaced.I find it slightly odd revisiting the places where I have lived and seeing someone else live there.I grew up with two black cats and a black dog.I was born at an incredibly young age.I am sure no one had read this far.I don’t plan to ever smoke.I’ve gotten up early to watch the sun rise.I’ve watched the sun set behind the mountains.I’ve watched the sun rise behind the mountains.I’ve watched the sun set over the grand canyon.I’ve stayed up through the night.I was born.I will die.I generally try to give people the benefit of the doubt.I do my own laundry.I rock climb, but I don’t like doing it on man made climbing walls.My favorite bird is the blue jayI own a few tie dyes that a friend of mine made.I own several wire wrapped crystals a friend of mine made.I’ve seen a symphony live.I’ve been to Elitch GardensI arranged a piece from Avatar the Last Airbender and played it with my school band before I moved.Sometimes I get a bit over-dramatic about thingsSometimes I say things that are a little cheesy.But I try to say things from the heart.I try to be nice, even when it makes things awkward.I don’t let peoples opinions of me get to my head.I have taken a couple breaks writing this.My happiest memory so far is backpacking in the mountains with my momWhen I volunteer at the movie theater I can fill one large cup with ice, start filling it with soda, fill another up with ice, start the second cup filling, by that time take the first cup to the costumer and grab the second soda by the time I’m finished doing that.I’m positive no one will read all this, but I am really enjoying writing this.I really like the movie/book Cloud Atlas and it played a large part in opening my mind to new ideas.I have a habit in karate of kicking with my right leg more because I have better balance standing on my left leg.I’m working to improve the balance standing on my right leg.I think it good to tell the truth.I also think sometimes it’s okay to lie.I don’t like guns.I have eaten ice cream when it was snowing out.I have made snow angelsI have built fairy houses by the riverI have never failed a test in schoolI have lost people I care about.I have made good friends.I have read the entire Harry Potter series.When we move to a new house my dad and I always walk around the house with sage before we sleep for the first night.I know a little bit about medicinal plants.I believe the universe is infinite.I have accepted that things die and this is a part of life.I try to learn something from every person I meetI try to be a better person than I was yesterday.I worry about my friends.I am determined to finish this.I have never broken a bone.I have a lot I want to improve in my karate.I have a lot I want to improve in my writing.I have a lot I want to improve my my music.I like competition because it gives me a chance to put myself out there.The first anime I really watched was Fairy Tail.I own a Fairy Tail necklace because it reminds me of my friends.I got one of my best friends a matching Fairy Tail necklace.When I’m struggling, sometimes when I’m about to pass out in karate, I think of my friends and it helps me through.I’m aware I can be a little cheesy and cliche.I’m not afraid to speak out for what I believe in.I will respect your opinion but that won’t change the fact I have my own.I love the stars.I love the moon.My favorite word is “Aum.”My second favorite word is “Apricity.”My third favorite word is “Defenestration”I have read the dictionary cover to cover several times.I consider the people at my karate dojo to be family.I love mangoes.One year my mom and I drew a big Christmas tree on paper instead of getting a tree.My family would usually go up into the mountains and cut down a tree.I have been in many snowball fights.My school banned dunking your cookies in milk at lunch one year in elementary school. I was annoyed.I like to be silly sometimes.My favorite celestial body is the sun, but I believe the moon better represents who I am.I can use chopsticks.I have danced in the rain.I have danced in the snow.I have played in a mountain river.I have a walking stick I’ve held onto for years.I don’t like radishes.I don’t like artichokes.My favorite ride at Disney land was the Buzz Lightyear Blaster rideI have gone carolingI have played music at old folks’ homesI love making people smileI love seeing people smileI love seeing people happyMy favorite Star Wars quotes is “Do or do not, there is no try.”I have a Avatar the Last Airbender mapI hand draw the maps for the book I’m working on.I own a long black skirt specifically for music performances.I don’t wear skirts often.The mountains are in my bones.The mountain rivers are in my blood.The mountain air is in my heart.I try to give gifts from the heart.I make my friend’s birthday cakes a lot.I came in second at my school’s talent show when I was like twelve.I own a sleeping bag designed for freezing temperatures.I can’t give up on this now.I do not like planes.I don’t like olives.I don’t like spicy food.I memorized the schedule of my local library by the time I was like 7.I can’t remember not having a library card.My signature looks horrible, but I’m working on it.I don’t really have a signature it’s more just my name in cursive.I try not me mean.I apologize a lot.I say thank you a lot.Most of the music I listen to doesn’t have lyrics or isn’t in English.My favorite season is winter.I don’t drink coffee.I don’t drink caffeinated tea.My jazz band order breakfast tacos sometimes during class when we don’t have anything to work on. (The day after a concert usually.)I cry too much.I don’t like crying.I have made ice cream from scratch without a machine.I crack my knuckles a lot.I was on a trivia team at my old school.I can’t run very far, fast, or long.But I’m working to improve that.A year ago I couldn’t do a proper pushup.Now I can do twenty on my knuckles no problem.I hate getting bored and letting my wander for too long.I have to remind myself that there is no reason to be afraid my friends are all dying right now.I have an itch.I despise chap stick.I struggled with having a dandruff issue in middle school.I really like to use commas.Using commas too much can be an issue.If it it was socially acceptable to wear a cloak around normal life, I would.People at school think my cloak is pretty cool.I own a cloak I made with the design of a dragon the back.I cried watching Incredible 2 becuase I remembered watching The Incredible with my mom.I cried watching (spoiler alert for Infinity war) Groot and Peter Parker die.I get really annoyed working the concessions at kids movies because you get those orders of drinks that are “Six small sodas and two large sodas please.” And of course they’re never the same soda. It’s two small rootbeers, a small diet dr.pepper, a small dr.pepper, a rc cola, a small, light on ice, mixture of dr. pepper and big red, a large dr.pepper heavy on ice, and a large rootbeer light on ice.I have actually gotten pretty much that exact drink order before.I am the only filling drinks at concessions, so I had to do all of that alone.I got two more orders on top of that piled up.In summary, I don’t like volunteering at kids movies.But I do enjoy seeing kids smile.I find bingo calling mind numbing boring and mentally draining.But I love seeing the people at bingo smile.Maybe this is a narcissistic quality, but I love it when I do a solo in jazz and I get compliments after the concert.At band camp I participate in the camp jazz band and I’ll get compliments all evening.And in those few hours I feel so grateful.I feel that I’m making my mom proud.My favorite compliment I ever got on playing saxophone was “Dude, you play saxophone better than I live.”I think a band camp filled with high school had cord band nerds is amazing.My favorite sandals are called Keens.My favorite candy is Twix.I dropped a hat off a ski lift.Luckily it was summer and we hiked and found it.I have met a tortoise.I’m once again up late coming up with things about me.I’m a leo but I don’t think the day you are born affects your personality.I don’t believe that you have one soulmate and you can be happy with no one else.I’m on several social media but not Instagram or Snapchat.I know practically nothing about Instagram or Snapchat.I’m really bad at remembering dates.I’m also bad at remembering names.I’m good at remembering faces, but I can’t put the name to the face so that doesn't help much.I know a pair of twins who share a birthday with me.They where the first people I met who shared my birthday.I don’t even know why I feel so determined to finish this.I put my friends in my phone by their nicknames.Other people I put in my phone by their first and last full names.I have my entire schedule for the next year planned out with five alternate days.I don’t get enough sleep.I tend to associate colors with things.The number four is green to me.The number three is purple.The number five is a mix of brown and purple.The number two is yellow.The number one is white and yellow.I don’t know why I think of them like that.I also tend to think of certain music notes in colors.A is red to me.E is blue.F is orange.G is light blue.D is brown.C is yellow.C# is mustard yellow.B is a slightly darker shade of blue than G.I don’t remember the name for the color association thing my brain does.I can move my ears without touching them.I think it you read this you would actually know a fair bit about me.I’m afraid of loosing the people I love.I want to reach the summit of a mountain greater than 10,000 ft.One day I want to summit a mountain greater than 14,000ft.I think a lot.Sometimes I think about really small mundane things and overthink them like the hold the secrets of the universe.Other days I think about the nature of existence.I used to be scared of the high school at my old school because I was terrified of teenagers.Really I’m just terrified of people in general.I think that they all secretly think I’m stupid.I begin a lot of text conversations with “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you,…”I’m not entirely sure what I’m earliest memory was.I once thought it would be better to forget everything than grieve.And now I’m starting to get better at remembering in happiness, not saddness.I think life is hard.I think it’s worth it.I make time in my life for what is important to me.I get annoyed with people who don’t know what they’re talking about, but I try to help them learn because I remember we can’t know everything.When I realize I didn’t know what I was talking about, I try to learn.I apologize when I realize I made a mistake.I roll my laundry.I do my laundry exactly once a week. I have a system that ensures this.I carry around an iPod for music because music helps me quiet my thoughts.I never dog ear books.I cannot touch my nose with my tongue.I’m getting close to being able to do a split.Karate is the most physically challenging thing I’ve ever done.I’m rather stubborn.Even when I wasn’t as good as the other competitors usually are at this music competition and I didn’t prepare as much as I wanted to, I still refused to give up without trying.I came in 8th out of 17 tenor saxophonists at that competition. For a freshmen, that was pretty good.I don’t regularly shave.I like watching movies with my friends.It is now the morning where I am at.So I’ve been working on this since the day before yesterday.I smiled today.I talked to a couple friends today.I have a watch but I get really annoyed because of daylight savings times because for half the year it’s got the wrong time.I’m not just lazy it’s hard to change the time on my watch.I am kind of lazy sometimes.I’m going to bed for now, I will finish this later this morning.I lucid dream.Most of the dreams I can remember are nightmares.I’ve cried myself to sleep before.I have a lot of tabs open right now.My cat is really fluffy.I’ve ridden on an elephant before.I try to be as honest as possible.I’ve been fishing.I find fishing incredibly boring.I’ve been on a sail boat.I’ve built snow forts.I am friends with my crush.I am wearing a black t shirt right now.I don’t wear shoes sometimesI tend to be paranoid.In fifteen minutes I am going to have to leave to go try on my band uniform.I say “cool” a lot.Sometimes I accidentally bow when I leave a room because I’m tired and my brain reverts to karate.I am surprised I didn’t give up on this yet.I have been told my members of my family I’m too young to know I’m bi.I don’t care what they think.My dad expects me to remain a straight A student.I threw myself into academic studies and books when I was little because I was lonely and bored.I am more proud of the fact I have been able to help my friends with their grades than I am of my own grades.My friends are smarter than me.My friends are kinder than me.My friends are braver than me.And I look up to them for it.I try to surround myself with good people.I love the smell of vanilla.I love dark chocolate with sea salt carmel.I love potstickers.I tend to think I’m stupid.I tend to think I’m a bother.I try to remember that I’m not.I have woken up on Christmas to freshly fallen snow.I have watched a lot of movies with my friends.Sometimes my friends and I would just walk around town for no reason.The library in the town I mostly grew up in is pretty cool.Sometimes my friends and I would go hang out there.I think more people need to learn to be accepting of people different than them.I like tofu.I just went for a walk.I used to play uno a lot with my family.I suck at checkers.I’m almost sort of decent at chess.I think I would be in GriffindorOr maybe RavenclawThe number of my band jacket is 39I don’t remember the number of my band pants.I wear a lot of solid color shirts.I am annoyed hot hot it is outside.I’m not very good at swimming, but I’m good enough to keep myself from drowning.I don’t like pools.I have not been in a pool in over a year.I don’t know how people without a desk survive.I have a desk.I have two personal emails and a school email.My bed is raised several feet off the ground. I have a step stool but I usually jump to get in.I have a painting of a rainbow tree above my desk I did myself.I have a photo board with pictures of people I care about on it.I own several scarfs.I really only wear them for special occasions.I like renaissance fairs.I know some of the bare basics to playing flute, but I would in no way claim to know how to play the flute.Same with piano.I love playing saxophone.I don’t really have any birthmarks.I have some money saved up.I go to school early to have time to work on homework and sometimes practice saxophone.I’m going to try to be creative.Even though some of these are not unique to me, I don’t think that make them any less interesting or miraculous. Just existing makes something interesting in my opinion.I’m glad I’m alive.Even on the days where I forget how miraculous that fact is, I try to keep going.I am grateful.I do my best.I put everything I can into everything I do.I don’t settle for less than my best effort.I go far.I know what it’s like to win.I am human.My heart beats.My blood flows.I have a pulse, a rhythm.I have a name.I make mistakes.I know what it’s like to fail.I try.Sometimes I fail.I bleed.I fall.I face death.I shake in fear.I bruise.I get tired.I get exhausted.I get frustrated.I go to fast.I shake.I struggle to catch my breathe.I pull myself to my feet and keep going.I force myself to work through every obstacle that comes my way.My wounds heal with time.And with time my scars fade, even though they never go away completly.I keep going.I slow down and take it one thing at a time.The world pushes me down; I fight back.I don’t “fight like a girl.”I show them how girls fight.I am proud.I am happy.I am loved.I get back up.I smile.I cry.I dance.I run.I laugh.I believe.I get pushed down time and time again.I break.I shatter.I crumble into dust.I grieve.I sob.I scream.I get injured.I hurt.I get the wind knocked out of me.I feel pain.Sometimes I can’t get up.It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.I can’t see the light in this darkness.I can’t see the summit of the mountain.I have friends who help me up.I get up and fight.I grow.I get better.I learn.I improve.I am me.My confidence grows.I remember to be humble.I love.I hate.I accept.I help my friends.I help wherever I can.I make a positive impact.I still fail.But that’s okay, because I keep climbing the mountain.I know I have at least a chance, so I’m not throwing away my shot.I’m not defined by winning or loosing.I’m not defined by succeeding or failing.I am defined by who I am.I have valid opinions.I have valid interests.I have the right to be who I am.I am my own person and no one can take that away from me.I’m at peace with myself.I’m at peace with my place in the universe.I remember joy.I remember happiness.I remember laughter.I remember tears of joy.I remember the sun rises.I remember.I think.I ponder.I wonder.I dream.I work.I breathe.I live.